Welcome to Spring! (A little Easter giveaway for you..)

In Spring everything is full of promise...

Spring has returned~

the earth is like a child that knows 

poems..

 Spring~

the music of open windows...

the front door 

to Springtime is a photographer's

best friend...

it was one of those 

March days..

when the sun shines hot

and the wind blows cold.

It felt like summer in the sunshine,

and winter in the shade...

(and I nearly froze taking these photos when the wind blew!)

 the arrival of Spring

 has made my spirits soar!

To welcome the warm breezes,

sunny days, and beautiful blooms...

let's have a little giveaway~

 I fell in love with these 

pretty little mugs,

and I'm excited to be sharing two of them

with you... 

to enter~

simply leave a comment

telling me what you love most

about spring...

 this little giveaway
 is open

to all  of my blog readers --

wherever you live...

 the winners

will be posted here

on March 31...

~~~~~
UPDATE
March 31
~the winners of the Easter mugs giveaway are--
Just This...Alice 
Debby --Cozy Blanket 

This contest is now closed
 
 

From the bottom of my heart ... to all of you~

thank you for your heartfelt comments, your messages, emails, cards, and even phone calls.  I am overwhelmed with the love that you have sent my way.  Every minute of every day is obligated right now and I've hardly had a minute to call my own.  I've not been able to respond to your emails, letters, comments, and such... but I have felt your love and support and it has given me strength.

Every day is full of blessings... 

Love,love,

Vicki 

ps--
Please join me on my "2 Bags Full" Instagram page if you have an account there.  I've been posting some lovely photos there...
xoxo

An Update for my "Grow Your Blog" Party...

Some days you pray more than you breathe...

 My original intent was to host this party in April.  I've known for almost a year that there was a special situation that would need my attentions in the early part of this year and that all of my time would be obligated to that.  My thought was that by April I would be free to host the party for you all. 

As you know, your life can change in an instant and I did not see the coming of a great emotional storm.  A storm that has taken my very breath away and has  taken our family to our knees in prayer.  You think one day that your life is so nice and you are so happy, and then the phone rings and you are forever changed...

I am so very sorry to say that I cannot host the party in April.  I think (dare I hope...) that all will be well by summer and I could possibly be free to host the party at that time.  But -- summer is not really the best time for that.  Everyone is out and about, vacations, and outside activities.  Honestly, I think that it would be best to just wait --- lets have the party in January as we have always done.  

So.... watch for an update from me come October -- and a date for the party in January.  Use this time to make your plans for the party and update your blogs as you might wish to do.  

Please forgive me for letting you down... I am always one to honor my commitments -- but this is totally out of my control.  Thank you for all the love that you send my way, always...

Vicki

ps -- the charitable activity that I am working on will still go forward. Im very excited about it.  I will be telling you about all the details soon, in about a month. 



 

Two Pink Hats...

Busy, busy, busy... I've been working hard to finish some special commission projects.  There have been several items on my project list nearing completion-- I'm finally checking them off and sending them on to happy homes.  These pretty little hats were among my favorites...

 don't be mislead

by what looks like a sunny day here...

 

these photos were taken

on a rare day a few weeks ago when the sun was out 

for about 2 hours in the afternoon...

 

 the embroidery and beadwork

on these hats is especially

pretty... 

 

 one of my cherished possessions

is this old painter's ladder...

the old chippy paint

stains are my

favorite...

 

every little flower

is accented with bead work...

 

 the leaves and vines

are also accented with beading...

this has been such a long and gray winter,

just being outside in the sunshine

 to take these photos

was sheer bliss!

this old ladder belonged

to my husband's

favorite Uncle...

it was great fun to drag it out

for these pictures..

these hats were some

of my most favorite so far...

the yarns are so 

incredibly 

soft..

so there you have it...

the tale of two pink hats...

Notes from me...

I'm on a serious countdown to Spring.  Cannot stand one more reminder of winter here at my house.  I have taken down all the winter decorations on the front porch and replaced them with a spring wreath and some spring flower decorations. 

 I. AM. Done. With. Winter.

 

 of course,

the weather is calling for snow showers

the next several days...

(guess the joke is on me!) 

 

 

The details are being finalized for my next charitable blog project.You will all be invited to participate... I think you will love this one!  I'll be posting more about this project sometime in early April.

I've been on a little reading binge --- loving our subscription to Kindle Unlimited.  My latest great reads are...

 

The Milliner's Secret

The Footman 

The Left Handed Marriage

Thanks so much for your visits, comments, and emails.  I have tried to visit everyone who left a comment on my last post.  I treasure your visits and thoughts,....

I'll be back soon with another one of my finished projects.

Vicki

ps -- if you are on my Nesting list, you will be hearing from me soon.  Those little spring nests are in the works now...

Sophie's knitted "Frozen" dress...

This little dress was created for beautiful Sophie, the daughter of a friend. She wanted a special dress to use in their family holiday photos. I'm way late in sharing these photos,( that's just the way my life is rolling right now.)  But I think you will agree, Sophie is a little doll wearing this dress...

 what little girl

doesn't want her own little

"Frozen"

dress?

 (these photo's of Sophie are used with her Mother's permission)

this little dress

was knitted in a size 4

with modifications for added length

 

 my photos were taken

at the home of Sophie's grandmother

using a vintage

1967 International truck

as backdrop...

(serious vintage rusty truck love!!)

 

 the neckline was embellished

with beads and a little snowflake...

 

 a little "photo-bombing"

by the kitties...

 

loving the rust on this old truck!

 

the dress was accented with beaded

fabric patches...

tiny snowflake accents

were randomly sewn onto the dress...

some of the patches

were made from old flannel shirts...

a little I-cord belt

finishes the dress and gathers up

the fullness...

modifications were made to the pattern

allowing for larger armholes and neckline

so that Sophie could wear a little blouse

underneath the dress...

extra length was added

so that Sophie could wear the dress with 

her leggings and boots...

(I added about 6 inches to the knitted length) 

 

 tiny crystals were sewn on to each

 little snowflake..

 

 yarns used...

the light purple yarn used for the bodice

and accent stripes is

Debbie Bliss cashmerino 

 

 the other yarns

are a variety of washable cottons

from my stash...

 

 the dress was adapted

from a pattern in the book

Minnow Knits too

(with modifications as noted above) 

 

 oh to have a sunny day

to bask in the warmth of the sun....

(I'm growing so tired of winter!!) 

Some updates...

With the recent amazing success of our Josephine's children charitable project, and before that.... the Pink Scarf project-- many of you have written to ask me what's next. I never really have a plan, as you know, I just wait for something of quality and compassion to present itself.  And something has....

In the next few weeks, I will be posting about another wonderful charitable project that will appeal to all of you.  An opportunity to use your talents to show compassion to someone in need of a little bit of love. If you can sew,knit,crochet,quilt,paint,.... or if you can raid your craft stash, then you will want to watch for this posting! And of course.... I will have some lovely gifts to share with you as well. Truly it will be an amazing opportunity for everyone to show some love...

just in case you missed my

lovely yarn giveaway...

you can find it here.

You have until March 1 to enter.

 

xoxo,

Vicki

 

ps ---

I would love for you to follow me on 

Facebook or on Instagram...

links are on my sidebar.

I've been sharing some lovely

photos on my Instagram page...

Sharing some YARN LOVE.... a lovely giveaway for you

February is the month of love...
sweetheart love, family love,... and for me, yarn love...

 the wonderful and talented 

ladies at Tink yarn

make beautiful, beautiful yarns...

(click on the link above to be directed to their website)

Ashley, Terri,and Laci 

have taken their love of knitting and yarns

to the next level...

creating their very own 

yarn dying company...

these sweet ladies have shared some of their

gorgeous yarns with me

so that I could tell

 YOU

 how wonderful they really are... 

 seriously,

these are the softest yarns

that I have ever held between

my fingers...

the colors are blended just perfectly,

this yarn is to die for!

 I think that I have just found

my new favorite yarn...

 last week,

 we were in the midst of a blizzard~

more than 15 inches of snow

covered our world in a blanket

of white... 

so of course..

I grabbed my beautiful yarns

and went out into the middle of it all

to take these photos...

~

(doesn't everyone photograph yarn

in the middle of a blizzard?)

 because I love this yarn SO much...

I am going to giveaway two beautiful skeins

of this yarn to one of you...

~

(please note, that the yarn in the photos is my yarn...

yours will be just as lovely,

you will LOVE it!

~~

To enter..

simply leave a comment here

 on my blog.
(as always, my giveaways are open to all my readers,
regardless of where you live 
in this big wide world...)

~

For another chance to win...

please share this post 

or link to it on your own blog, Facebook, or Instagram page.

then come back here and leave another comment

 telling me that you have done so..

~

the winner will be announced HERE on

this page on March 1,2016.

****UPDATE****
the winner of the yarn giveaway is
Lesley Anne 
from the blog Plum Hollow 
~
this contest is now CLOSED

perhaps you would like

to purchase some of these beautiful yarns

for yourself...

you may use this discount code--

TINKLOVE

for a 15% discount 

when you make your purchase. 

(you can even share the yarn love...

and share this discount code with your friends!)

Click here to visit the website

February is upon us...

the shortest month of the year.  I always feel that once February is here, we are closer to March, and that March brings us closer to spring. Its that little trick that I do that makes me think that winter is almost over...

I've been doing lots of knitting, (of course!) and will have some new projects to share soon. I have watched some great shows while I am clicking away at my needles....

 Downton Abbey, of course...(I'm so sad that it is ending)

Anzac Girls (have you seen it?  I thought it was wonderful!!)

Call the Midwife...(I am so behind on this one, and loving every minute of it!)

Some books that I recently finished and loved...

Circling the Sun, Along the Infinte Sea, and the Milliner's Secret.

 All were wonderful books that I could hardly put down -- perhaps you will love them too... 

For those of us still in the midst of winter... hang on just a bit longer...spring will be here soon! 

Love

Vicki

ps--
I'll be sharing some of these photos
later today on my Instagram page
"2 BagsFull"...
if you are an IG person, 
I would love for you to follow me there

and to share this with your
friends who follow you on 
Instagram...
~
(tell me that you are one of my blog readers, 

and I will follow you back!) 

xoxo